Exam Preparation Lifehacks

When you’re preparing for a licensing exam, time is your most valuable resource. It’s tempting to turn to AI tools like ChatGPT for quick explanations or answers to difficult practice questions. After all, these systems seem confident, polished, and fast — exactly what a busy candidate needs. But that confidence can be misleading. The truth is, AI doesn’t always give the right answer, and sometimes, it’s not even close.

With the rise of tools like ChatGPT, some candidates believe they can simply ask AI to generate practice exam questions and rely on those instead of using professional, subject matter expert-created practice exams. 

Artificial intelligence has quickly become a go-to tool for law students and licensing candidates (and many lawyers, too). With just a few keystrokes, AI tools can produce confident, polished responses to legal questions that look like they came from an expert. It’s no surprise, then, that many licensing candidates begin to believe: “Why spend money on courses or so much time studying? I can just ask AI to explain things to me like it’s a legal expert.” 

As AI tools become more popular, some licensing candidates are starting to ask: 
“Do I really need to study that deeply if AI can just explain things to me?” 

It's a tempting question. With tools like ChatGPT capable of summarizing cases, generating study notes, and even answering practice questions, it’s easy to imagine AI as a shortcut to exam success. But here’s the truth: no AI tool can replace the kind of deep, structured, critical learning that licensing exams, and legal practice, require. 

Completing practice exams is one of the best ways to prepare for the LSO licensing examinations. Whether you’re getting ready to write the Ontario bar exams or the paralegal licensing exam, practice exams are an invaluable study tool.

If AI can pass the bar exam, doesn’t that mean it understands legal reasoning?

It’s a fair question, and one that many bar candidates are starting to ask. After all, large language models like ChatGPT can now: generate passable legal memos, spot issues in fact patterns, and even answer multiple-choice questions correctly.

At first glance, that looks like legal reasoning. But the truth is: AI doesn’t reason. It replicates. And in legal education, especially when prepping at the licensing level, that difference matters.

The key to success on the Ontario bar exams is to be well-prepared before exam day. Initially, this may seem overwhelming because of the volume of material covered on each exam. However, it can be helpful to begin your preparation by considering the experiences of past candidates. This may include general study tips, substantive information about certain areas of law, and most importantly, mistakes that candidates would avoid making again.  

As a candidate preparing for the Ontario licensing exams, you’re likely hearing a lot about AI these days. It can summarize cases, do legal research, and even pass the bar exam in some cases. So, it’s natural to wonder: If AI can pass the bar, why can’t it teach me to do the same? 

At Emond Exam Prep, we’ve heard your calls and feedback for bigger updates and changes to our Barrister and Solicitor Practice Exams, and we are excited to announce that they are now here! Our comprehensive, professionally crafted practice exams are designed to make your study experience for the Barrister and Solicitor licensing exams more effective and less stressful.

If you’re preparing for the Ontario paralegal licensing exam, you already know how challenging it can be. The pressure of remembering all the necessary legal topics can be overwhelming. At Emond Exam Prep, we understand the struggles that many candidates face when preparing for the exam. That’s why we’ve created the Paralegal IQ Quiz—a free and easy way to gauge your readiness. 

Your classes are finished, your exams are written, and you have finished your internship hours. You are no longer a student, and you feel ready to enter the working world as a paralegal, but are you truly prepared to take the P1 exam?

Exam results are out, and you didn’t do so well. You need to rewrite. Not quite the results you hoped for, but that’s okay. As disappointing as this may be, it is far from the worst thing for you. Now it is time to collect yourself, figure out where things didn’t go the way you hoped, and be better prepared for the next time.

Preparing for licensing exams can be an overwhelming task, but Emond Exam Prep's new Exam Strategy Course is here to help you make the most out of your licensing exam preparation. This online course is designed to help you optimize your study process, master exam techniques, and approach your exams with confidence.

Misconceptions often surround the LSO examinations, leading to confusion and anxiety among candidates. From pass rates to preparation strategies, we'll uncover the truth behind common assumptions, providing clarity and guidance for those embarking on their licensing journey. 

“When should I start preparing?” 

This is one of the most common questions from students looking to write the paralegal licensing exam or bar exams. While the exact answer depends largely on each student, starting exam prep early can help set you up for success.

Recognizing the demand for a more personalized and tailored approach to studying, Emond Exam Prep is thrilled to announce the launch of its revamped online bar and paralegal exam tutoring service.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) play a crucial role in simplifying the complicated, and sometimes confusing, immigration process. Because of the importance of the role of RCICs and the impact of their work on people, the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) requires all prospective RCICs to successfully complete the Entry-to-Practice Exam (EPE) before becoming licensed to provide immigration consulting services.

Applying for jobs as a law student can be stressful. There are resumes to review and countless cover letters to write. And if you’re participating in the 2L summer student recruit, you might also be thinking about on-campus interviews.

Writing exams remotely may seem stressful at first because it brings a new list of things to consider and of the potential issues that can arise. Taking the time to prepare your space and familiarize yourself with the process can help reduce the stress and avoid last-minute troubleshooting.

At Emond Exam Prep we are dedicated to providing students with the support and resources they need to prepare for their professional licensing exams. During this period of uncertainty, you may be feeling anxious about preparing for your exams, which you will have to write on a date that is yet to be determined. The best way to handle this situation is to stay focused on the next stage in your career and to develop a study plan that will help you reach it. 

Writing a multiple-choice exam is more challenging than most people think, particularly when you face hundreds of questions, limited time to answer them in, and have the added pressure of it being a licensing exam. But there is an effective strategy to get you through the CHRP/CHRL Employment Law Exam; that strategy is based upon preparation, planning, and practice.

If you’re starting your first year of law school this fall, you might be feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. And rightly so! You’re about to embark on a brand-new chapter in your life—one that will bring its own challenges and rewards. Your first year, or 1L, will involve meeting new people, reading, attending classes, more reading, familiarizing yourself with the law school environment, and finally, even more reading. (Just kidding—there isn’t that much reading).

If you’re preparing to write the ICCRC exam to become a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) next week, you’ve likely heard that the format of the exam has changed. The best way to maintain your confidence before exam day is to familiarize yourself with the new format. To help you do this, we’ve outlined the major differences and similarities between the old ICCRC exam and the new ICCRC exam.

The next paralegal licensing exam is less than a month away! As it approaches, make sure to make the most of readily available resources. Although your LSO materials are undoubtedly the most important study resource, there are several supplementary tools that can help you prepare for the exam. Here are the top five resources that we’ve identified as most useful for prospective paralegals:

Weeks of studying and two 7-hour exams later, the Ontario bar exams are finally behind you. What now? Maybe you’ve already started articling and you’re headed back to work. Maybe you’ve got some free time before you start articling or attend the Law Practice Program later this summer. Either way, there’s one thing that you definitely should not be doing right now: stressing about your exam results.

“Practice makes perfect.” We’ve heard this saying countless times. But have you ever practiced over and over again only to see minimal improvement? Don’t feel discouraged! Practice is seldom just about repeating the same actions and techniques, it’s more often about evaluating our practice performance. So, if you’ve recently written a practice exam for the Ontario bar exams and your results weren’t perfect, don’t worry. You just need to adopt the right post-practice strategy.

If you’re getting ready to write the ICCRC Full Skills Exam (FSE), you’re probably busy preparing materials to bring to the exam with you. These might include your IPP notes, textbooks, excerpts of immigration law statutes, and/or other immigration law texts. During the exam, you don’t want to spend valuable time flipping through pages looking for a particular topic. Instead, consider using the following five strategies to help you study and organize your materials for exam day.

Syllabus week was that glorious week in undergrad where you went to class every day only to get handed a syllabus, sit for an introduction, and leave 30 minutes later. Unfortunately, this summer bonus week doesn’t exist in law school.

Preparing for the Paralegal Licensing Exam is no small undertaking. The LSO provides you with hundreds of pages of information that you need to know for the exam, and a list of competencies they expect you to possess as a paralegal. Trying to learn and understand all of this information in six weeks is a daunting task, but if you employ these study tips, you’ll be ready for exam day.

Talking in a pair or small group will make things easier, but make sure you pick someone who won’t dominate the conversation or you might not get a chance to participate. On the other hand, don’t be that person. Someone who talks non-stop about themselves comes across as arrogant and unaware of how to behave appropriately in social situations.

You need to be able to convincingly answer the question, “Why this firm?”

This may seem basic, but it is extremely important. Firms realize that you need  to get an articling job somewhere—this is true of every student they interview. What they don’t know is which student is genuinely passionate about working at their specific firm.

The 2017–2018 articling term is fast approaching. While articling is an amazing opportunity to learn and explore your interests, it is also a stressful time that strikes fear into the hearts of newly graduated law students. Articling involves the combined pressure of needing to learn how to do everything, while also needing to market yourself as an asset to the firm in order to get a coveted associate position. 

There isn’t one “right” way to go about indexing for the licensing exams. Some students choose to make their own indices from scratch, some use old indices, some purchase indices, and some make or update indices with a group. However, no matter what your method, there are four common mistakes that can sabotage efficiency and accuracy. Follow these tips to ensure your indices won’t let you down on exam day.

Make no mistake, preparing for the Ontario Licensing Exams can be a daunting task. However, don’t believe everything that you hear. These are 5 widespread myths that you may come across while gearing up for exam day.

Thinking of registering for a bar exam preparation course but not sure which one to choose and whether it will be worth it? Below are six tips that will help you get the best bang for your buck.

If you are studying to become a paralegal, or are about to write your P1 Paralegal Licensing Examination, you may be wondering, “what’s next?” Over the past few years, the LSO has been gradually expanding the authorized areas of practice for paralegals. The scope of practice for paralegals is outlined in subsection 6(2) of the LSO’s By-law 4.

There is a tendency among Ontario law students to be cavalier about the licensing exams. “No one fails!” some assure you. Others conjure pass rates out of thin air: “You know, 90% of law students in Ontario pass the bar. It’s not like New York!” This kind of dismissive attitude around the bar exams is misleading, and makes it especially difficult if you do fail the bar exams because you’re left wondering how you could possibly have failed such “easy” exams after studying so hard.

I remember my reaction the first time I laid eyes on the licensing materials from the Law Society: the nausea, the panic, the utter terror that I had to memorize seemingly endless pages of information. “But not really,” I was told by my peers who had already taken the bar exams. “You just have to rely on indices.”

I had no idea what indices were, and maybe you don’t know what indices are either. I’ll explain the basic concept and then share some general indexing tips.